Will any team in the Premier League be able to stand with Manchester City and Liverpool?
The Premier League season opener is tomorrow, and this season looks to be every bit as fun to watch as last season. Last year, Liverpool and Manchester City duked it out in a close battle to see who would win the regular season. It came down to the last day when City came from behind to defeat Brighton 4-1 and claim the PL from Liverpool by one point. It’s the first time in a decade that a team has claimed back-to-back seasons in the Premier League.
Last year, the battle between City and Liverpool was just that, a battle between two heavyweights. No other team was even close. City finished with 98 points and Liverpool 97. The third place team, Chelsea, came in with 72 points, followed by Tottenham with 71 to round out the top four.
It is expected that Manchester City and Liverpool will once again reign at the top of the standings, both teams are in a great position to do so with the momentum from last season. City especially has momentum after defeating Liverpool in this year’s FA Community Shield. But there are three other teams that could make a name for themselves and take the top spot this year, and they just happen to be the three teams that followed the top two last season: Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal.
Chelsea finished last season 21-9-8, Tottenham was 23-2-13 and Arsenal 21-7-10. The three teams vied for the third spot all season in a secondary battle to that of the top two. It was another one that came down to wire, finally setting on the last day of competition.
Chelsea may have lost Eden Hazard, but they gained American prodigy Christian Pulisic and appointed Frank Lampard as head coach. Pulisic dreamed of playing in the PL as a child, and while he’s spent the last few years in Germany, Chelsea is where he’s always wanted to be. He will be a nice replacement for Hazard, and Chelsea fans will soon realize why he is the most expensive player from the United States.
Arsenal made some moves today, the transfer deadline, that will bolster their roster. They signed Kieran Tierney from Scotland and acquired David Luiz from Chelsea. They also acquired Nicholas Pepe, who will assist them on the front, and signed two defenders (William Saliba and Dani Ceballos) who are on loan. They’ve worked hard this off-season to make improvements to their roster in an effort to make a run for the top spot.
Tottenham finally returns home for a full season with the opening of their new stadium toward the end of last season. They’ve played just a handful of games in the new state of the art facility, and this year will call it home for the entire season. Spurs signed four players this off-season, none for more than a year, but the moves push the team forward. Last year they improved as the season progressed and will look to continue that this season.
While it appears a foregone conclusion that City and Liverpool will remain at the top of the league this year, any of the three teams mentioned could make a run for the top spot. The talent is there for all three teams, so it is up to the managers to organize the wins. Then again, there could always be a surprise team (think Leicester City 2016) which comes from nowhere to take the league. It’s something that is unlikely to happen during any season, but it’s not unheard of.
Regardless of which team it is, Manchester City and Liverpool should be on high alert. Every game is a must-win for them if they want to keep their squads at the top of the standings. That kind of pressure is what will make this season worth watching, no matter which team is playing!
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